British track star Matthew Richardson sent home before the Track Cycling World Championships for 'misconduct'
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Follow us on GoogleMatthew Richardson has been sent home by the British Cycling Federation even before the 2026 Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai have begun. According to The Daily Mail, the reigning European Sprint and Keirin champion is alleged to have misbehaved.
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Richardson declared himself the fastest cyclist ever
Richardson, 27, joined the British Cycling team after switching allegiance from Australia after the last Olympics. He had been expected to secure three medals in China this week after declaring himself the fastest cyclist in history.
A British Cycling spokesperson said: 'British Cycling can confirm that Matt Richardson has been withdrawn from the Great Britain Cycling Team squad for the upcoming 2026 Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Shanghai, China.'
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Lavreysen and Richardson: No showdown at this year's World Cup...
Richardson is alleged to have made discriminatory remarks
According to The Times, Richardson was ejected for misconduct, allegedly involving the use of the N-word. The 27-year-old muscleman has long called himself the fastest man in the world on a bicycle and wanted to prove it in Shanghai.
After his much-discussed move from Australia to Great Britain following the last Olympic Games in Paris, Richardson hadn't quite lived up to expectations yet, but he did give Lavreysen a run for his money time and time again.
You don't just send home a guarantee of medals. The British Cycling Federation confirmed the news in a statement to the newspaper but declined to comment on the reasons. "The sprinter is said to have made discriminatory remarks about people with an immigrant background," the statement said.
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David Bavin-HobbsChief Editor
David has been working in the sports & cycling industry for 16 years. Covering racing, business and technology, he has worked in communications for cycling companies, teams, and as a journalist. His proudest achievement is winning the first bike race he ever entered. He hasn't won a race since.
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Latest Comments
- The “king is dead” line feels premature. Pogačar has dominated this race for years, and one brilliant Seixas win doesn’t mean his reign is over. The article leans a bit too hard into the hype.patriciaw12-10-2026
- How does Seixas’s win compare with Gerbi’s in 1905? Was the race anything like the Lombardia riders face today?michael5412-10-2026
- Evenepoel finishing fourth while apparently struggling is still a solid result, though it’s surprising he couldn’t carry his European title form into the race.bikebuffj12-10-2026
- Nibali’s point about Del Toro racing Gran Piemonte makes sense. UAE needed him fresh for Lombardia, especially with Pogačar absent.jeremya12-10-2026
- Seixas looked completely in control on Civiglio. Winning Lombardia at that age is extraordinary; the comparisons with Pogačar are inevitable, but he deserves to be judged on his own ride.tourdeforce912-10-2026
- How can he race a mountain-bike event just 15 hours after Lombardia? Does that mean he had to recover on the way there? I’m still figuring out how these races fit together!sprocketspiny12-10-2026
- Winning Lombardia without Pogačar there is still a huge achievement, though the headline makes it sound like Seixas is already chasing him personally. Is there any indication he’s actually considering UAE for 2028?andrewf12-10-2026
- The UAE interest is worth watching, but he’s under contract through 2027 and Decathlon clearly have a major talent to build around. No need to rush the transfer speculation.samanthak12-10-2026
- He’s right to keep Pogačar as the benchmark rather than claiming he’s already there. Second at Strade and Liège, plus fourth on his Tour debut at 19, is an incredible platform.robert6512-10-2026
- Seixas attacking on the Civiglio and then lining up at Roc d’Azur the next day is wild. The win matters, but that appetite to race says a lot about him.julien12-10-2026
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